Westfield, Iowa
18 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1898 and the latest in 1986. It stands in Westfield Township. It lies in ZIP code area 51062. It stands on Westfield Creek. The Survey maps it on the Akron quadrangle. 123 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,132 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresWestfield fell from 132 to 123 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 132 | |
| 2020 | 123 | -9 (-7%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
8 surveys from 18 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1898 USGS Elk Point quadrangle1:125000, 2 printings
- 1901 USGS Elk Point quadrangle1:125000
- 1907 USGS Elk Point quadrangle1:125000, 6 printings
- 1955 USGS Sioux City quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1958 USGS Sioux City quadrangle1:250000
- 1959 USGS Sioux City quadrangle1:250000
- 1969 USGS Akron quadrangle1:24000
- 1986 USGS Sioux City North quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
11 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 11 fires within 5 miles of Westfield between 1999 and 2020, burning about 37 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 11 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 July 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.0 acres | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | COREY HALVERSON #2 |
| 18 May 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.5 acres | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | REILLY |
| 30 April 2002 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department | BOSSE |
| 23 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 25 acres | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | STAMP |
| 22 April 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | GRASS FIRE TW2 |
| 22 April 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | GRASS FIRE |
| 11 April 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | ALPENA |
| 4 March 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | 1A |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 23 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 23 workings within 5 miles of Westfield: 14 past producers, 9 producers. 9 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Bailey Sand & Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Bennett Sand & Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Everist Akron | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Higman Ag Lime Quarry | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Higman Sand & Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Hladky Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Horton Sand & Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Keith Knapp | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Laurel Sand and Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
29 since 1996Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Westfield in 29 storm reports between 1996 and 2024: 19 flood, 6 hail, 2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Westfield | $50,000 | no account filed |
| October 2019 | Flood | Westfield | $5,000 | Rainfall around October 1, which averaged 1.00 to 1.50 inches around Sioux Falls and 2.00 to 3.50 inches in the Rock River Basin and around Hawarden and Akron, pushed the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) into minor flood. The river crested 1.40 feet above flood stage on October 8. Significant flooding of agricultural land occurred, with a few county and township roads briefly inundated near the river. Property damage costs are rough estimates. |
| September 2019 | Flood | Westfield | $5,000 | After excessive two-day rainfall during September 10-12 (generally 3 to 4 inches around Sioux Falls, 4.72 inches at Canton, 2.51 inches at Hawarden), the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) reached the 3rd highest stage on record of 6.51 feet above flood stage on September 17. Significant amounts of the agricultural flood plain were inundated, and numerous roads were closed including South Dakota Highway 50 and Iowa Highway 3. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Westfield | $1,000 | Winds brought down a 20 foot tall oak tree across a county highway. Property damage costs are rough estimates. |
| July 2024 | Flood | Westfield | - | Flooding continued from June on the Big Sioux River near Richland, with declining river levels. The river fell below flood stage on the morning of July 7th. |
| June 2024 | Flood | Westfield | - | The Big Sioux River near Richland rose above flood stage the afternoon of June 21st, cresting around 11.7 feet above flood stage (1128.7 feet) on June 23rd. This crest is in the Major Stage and broke the previous record. The river stayed above flood stage into July. For a more comprehensive description of flood damage, please see other entries for Plymouth County. |
| April 2023 | Flood | Westfield | - | The Big Sioux River near Richland, SD rose above flood stage during the early morning of April 12th before cresting around 1.36 feet above flood stage (1118.36 feet) on April 15th. The river then fell below flood stage on the evening of April 16th. |
| August 2020 | Hail | Westfield | - | Hail was mostly dime to nickel size, but some stones were as large as quarters. |
| April 2020 | Flood | Westfield | - | A continuation of minor flooding from March, the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) began the month 1.67 feet above flood stage, with a steady and slow fall to below flood stage by April 5. Significant agricultutal lands near the river remained flooded. |
| March 2020 | Flood | Westfield | - | With rainfall of 1.72 inches 6 miles north northeast of Elk Point, 1.58 inches at Rock Valley, 1.51 inches at Canton and 1.37 inches at Akron, the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) rose above flood stage late month. The river crested at 1.62 feet above flood stage on March 31, resulting in significant flooding of agricultural land. The river remained at minor flood stage at the end of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. |
| June 2019 | Flood | Westfield | - | The Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) crested 2.43 feet above flood stage on June 29, causing significant flooding of crop and pasture land. The river remained in minor flood stage at the end of the month. |
| May 2019 | Flood | Westfield | - | This is a continuation of flooding from April. The Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) remained in flood through the month. Late month rains pushed the river to a crest at 5.21 feet above flood stage on May 30. Significant agricultural flooding persisted, with no opportunity for spring planting throughout the flood plain. A few farm levees were overtopped on the South Dakota side with flooding of several outbuildings. The river remained at major flood stage at the end of the month. |
| June 2019 | Flood | Westfield | - | A continuation of flooding from May, the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) began the month at 4.71 feet above flood stage. Significant amounts of agricultural land remained flooded, and further impeded spring planting. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Westfield | - | Snow melt and heavy rainfall (measured 2.12 inches at Hawarden and 1.75 inches at Akron) resulted in extensive flooding of agricultural land in the flood plain. South Dakota Highway 50 and Iowa Highway 3 were both inundated by water for numerous days, with several farm buildings engulfed in flood waters. The Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) reached the second highest crest on record at 7.5 feet above flood stage on March 16. The river remained in moderate flood stage at the end of the month. |
| July 2019 | Flood | Westfield | - | A continuation of flooding from June, the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) crested 2.08 feet above flood stage on July 7 and 2.36 feet above flood stage on July 20, resulting in significant flooding of crop and pasture land. |
| April 2019 | Flood | Westfield | - | Runoff from occasional precipitation in late March and April maintained significant flooding of agricultural and pasture lands near the Big Sioux River. The Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) crested at 3.77 feet above flood stage on April 10. Moderate flooding continued at the end of the month. |
| July 2018 | Flood | Westfield | - | Crop and pasture land near the Big Sioux River was severely impacted as river levels climbed to 4.6 feet above flood stage near Richland (gage site BSRS2) on July 1. |
| September 2018 | Flood | Westfield | - | Widespread upstream rainfall in the Big Sioux basin from September 18-20 totaled generally 5 to 10 inches, resulting in major flooding. A few farm buildings were flooded with widespread crop and pasture land flooding as the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) crested 6.2 feet above flood stage on September 23. The river remained in minor flood stage at the end of the month. |
| October 2018 | Flood | Westfield | - | River levels on the Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) continued to fall in early October. Impacts were limited to minor agricultural flooding. |
| June 2018 | Flood | Westfield | - | A week of periodic heavy rainfall ending June 26 resulted in a widespread 5 to 9 inches of rainfall, much of which occurred on June 20, 24 and 25. Specific weekly totals included 7.47 inches at Canton, 9.15 inches at Rock Valley, 4.47 inches at Akron and 5.01 inches at Hawarden. Major flooding occurred with South Dakota Highway 50 as well as Iowa Highway 3 going under water. Significant amounts of crop and pasture land were inundated as the river crested near Richland (gage site BSRS2) 7.4 feet above flood stage on June 24. The river remained at major flood stage at months end. |
| October 2018 | Flood | Westfield | - | A steady moderate rainfall during October 9-10 - resulting in 1.50 to 2.00 inches of rainfall - produced yet another period of moderate flooding. Significant amounts of agricultural land near the river were inundated. The Big Sioux River near Richland (gage site BSRS2) crested 3.1 feet above flood stage on October 14. |
| May 2018 | Flood | Westfield | - | Runoff from periods of heavier rainfall on top of already high river levels produced minor flooding of lowland agricultural areas along lower portions of the Big Sioux River. River levels reached 1.0 feet above flood stage near Richland (gage site BSRS2) on May 14. |
| April 2017 | Hail | Westfield | - | Ground was white with hail completely covering it. Most hailstones were smaller, but there were some stones up to the size of quarters. |
| June 2000 | Hail | Westfield | - | Large hail covered the ground. |
| May 2016 | Hail | Westfield | - | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Hail | Westfield | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Westfield | - | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Tornado (F0) | Westfield | - | no account filed |
| July 1996 | Tornado (F0) | Westfield | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | 5.6 miles | 18 | |
| Millnerville | 7.4 miles | 9 | |
| Adaville | 10.7 miles | 9 | |
| Ruble | 11.0 miles | 9 | |
| Potosia | 13.9 miles | 9 | |
| Crathorne | 15.0 miles | 9 | |
| Brookdale (historical) | 15.3 miles | 12 | |
| Yeomans | 15.5 miles | 12 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Westfield | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2232974 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 462935. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.







